AUTHOR=Dramsdahl Margaretha , Ersland Lars , Plessen Kerstin J., Haavik Jan , Hugdahl Kenneth , Specht Karsten 

TITLE=Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – A Brain Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2011

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00065

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00065

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Impaired cognitive control in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be related to a prefrontal cortical glutamatergic deficit. We assessed the glutamate level in the left and the right midfrontal region including the anterior cingulate cortex in adults with ADHD and healthy controls. <bold>Methods:</bold> Twenty-nine adults with ADHD and 38 healthy controls were included. We used Proton Magnetic Resonance Imaging with single voxel point-resolved spectroscopy to measure the ratio of glutamate to creatine (Glu/Cre) in the left and the right midfrontal region in the two groups. <bold>Results:</bold> The ADHD group showed a significant reduction of Glu/Cre in the left midfrontal region compared to the controls. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> The reduction of Glu/Cre in the left midfrontal region in the ADHD group may reflect a glutamatergic deficit in prefrontal neuronal circuitry in adults with ADHD, resulting in problems with cognitive control.</p>